Duterte questions Philippine's alliance with US

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he will not abrogate a defence treaty with the United States but questioned its importance and that of joint combat exercises, which he says only benefit America.

US Marines and their Philippine counterparts fold their respective flags at the closing ceremony of the 33rd joint US-Philippines amphibious landing exercises (AP)

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has said he will not abrogate a defence treaty with the United States but questioned its importance and that of joint combat exercises, which he says only benefit America.

Mr Duterte pressed his criticism of the United States and his country's engagement with the American military in a speech as US Marines and their Philippine counterparts ended combat drills a day early in a separate ceremony. A US general, in contrast, underscored the need for the joint drills to brace for potential crises.

Mr Duterte, who labels himself a socialist, has had an uneasy relationship with the US and a falling out with President Barack Obama, whom he has lambasted for criticising his deadly anti-drug fight. Despite his constant anti-US pronouncements, Mr Duterte said he would not abrogate the mutual defence treaty with the US but questioned the need for it.

"I do not mean to cancel or abrogate the military alliances," Mr Duterte said in a speech before new government officials at the presidential palace. "But let me ask you ... do you really think we need it?"

He did not clearly specify his reason for questioning the treaty alliance but said if a conflict pitting the world's most powerful nations breaks out, "there will be no more American aid to talk of." He added that when Russia annexed Crimea, "America wasn't able to do anything."

Mr Duterte has announced he will end the joint combat exercises, which China has opposed. His defence secretary, Delfin Lorenzana, said he has asked Mr Duterte for a reconsideration, and has explained to the president the importance of the approximately 28 annual joint military exercises, including three major ones that involve thousands of troops, in preparing for natural disasters and other contingencies. US military officials want to continue the joint manoeuvres, Mr Lorenzana said.

Mr Duterte, however, has remained critical, saying US troops take back with them the high-tech and powerful weapons after each drill. "So what's the point?" he asked. "They're the ones who benefited, they're the ones who learned but we got nothing."

The joint drills that ended in an austere ceremony on Tuesday were held in an air of uncertainty because of Mr Duterte's warning that they would be the last under his rule.

US Marine Brigadier Genral John Jansen said the drills underscored the depth of the US-Philippine alliance "and the commitment to be there when it counts", adding both countries benefited from the exercises.

"It makes us all better," he said. "It not only makes us better but more capable and effective as an integrated force that provides a capability that we might apply to our treaty obligations in the future, whether it be in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, assistance in internal security, or in other types of crisis."

A Philippine military spokesman for the exercises, Colonel Ariel Caculitan, said the manoeuvres ended a day early because of adjustments resulting from stormy weather forecasts among other reasons and had no connection with Mr Duterte's criticism of the drills.